


The world may disapprove, but my world is only you.

by Internetmeep



Series: Benway/Ballum journey [3]
Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Coming Out, Disapproving Family, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Homophobia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-25
Updated: 2019-06-25
Packaged: 2020-05-18 09:56:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,707
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19332211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Internetmeep/pseuds/Internetmeep
Summary: Callum's dad arrives in the square, and oversee's something he shouldn't have regarding his son. Things don't end well. But it turns out Callum has more people on his side than he first thought, even if one of those people is one he'd least expect.





	The world may disapprove, but my world is only you.

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to clarify that I know absolutely nothing about Callum's dad. Also there is a chance this is somewhat poorly written I'm sorry I tried but I'm currently sick and well... yeah. It took me way longer than expected to write (3 days)

Callum had told Ben to stay away. Ben, of course, decided not to listen to him. After all, it had been way too much fun trying to wind him up. There was something about Callum when he was wound up that made him all the more attractive to Ben, and Callum knew this. But that didn't stop him from giving Ben the reaction he was after, that being one that stopped him dead in his tracks, he couldn't help the hold Ben still had over him. Ben continued winding him up. It was a laugh. Plus, if it reminded Callum exactly what he's missing when telling him to stay away, then that was, quite frankly, a bonus.

It had been a couple of weeks since that one night in the park. Ben and Callum had interacted a couple of times since then but nothing that even came close to how they had been that night. Callum was starting to act more friendly with Ben, after his opting to avoid him for a few days. That didn't last long though. Ben had gotten too far into his head. He couldn't stay away that easily.

They were talking in an alleyway. By talking, obviously Ben was actually flirting, leaning up against the wall, trying to get closer to him. It seemed nobody could see them but it turned out they were mistaken. Ben finished what he was saying and that's when it all went wrong. Well, when someone showed up in the square that Callum had really hoped he would never have to see again. His father. He showed up in the square, and evidently saw something that wasn't quite true. Maybe he just knew some of the rumours about the infamous Ben Mitchell. Whatever it was, he wasn't happy to see Callum in the slightest.

Ben had just walked away, turning back to face Callum and give his signature wink, something he started doing after the first time, and the almost smile he received because of it, despite Callum being with Whitney at the time. Callum's father had clearly been waiting, watching their interaction intently, waiting for Ben to leave; the time to strike.

He walked up to where Callum was standing, and without even saying hello, lifted him up, slamming him against the wall.

"What the hell were you doing with that freak?" He shouted at Callum, accusing him of something, although Callum wasn't entirely sure what.

"I erm... we were talking he's a mate." Callum responded in a drastic attempt to sound nonchalant. He needed to make it seem as if there was absolutely nothing going on because who knew what he would think if he caught the right end of the stick and kept tugging.

"You need to stay away from people like him. Especially you, what with your 'tendencies'. You've got a good thing going with that Whitney girl I won't let someone like that ruin it."

"Tendencies? I don't know what you're on about. I'm marrying Whitney."

"You think you're better don't ya?" Callum had no idea what his father meant by that, but he knew what his dad was thinking. He didn't even know his dad had any sort of suspicion that he might not have been straight, before now. And all this sparked from overseeing a conversation between him and Ben?  "You think you're cured because you've got your fiance?, you make me sick" as he said that, his father pushed him further into the wall.

"You're hurting me!" Callum expressed, slightly louder than his normal voice, hoping Ben was still close enough to hear him and maybe cared about him enough to come back and help.

"You think I care? You're scum. You ain't no son of mine, you hear me?", Callum had no idea why his father was doing this or why he even thought he might have been gay in the first place, but he knew how dangerous it was to confront his father.

"Why are you doing this, I already told you, I'm with Whitney?"

"Then what are you doing talking to some fag huh? He was trying it with you, and you didn't beat him up, that sure sounds like the actions of a puff to me." His father just wasn't believing him, nothing that was said was working. Callum was getting increasingly distressed by the whole ordeal and with that, struggling to hide the truth, being that he did actually have something between him and Ben.

Callum getting distressed meant that he unfortunately was also getting to struggle with his temper. He wouldn't exactly say he had issues with it, but based on his family and Army background, sometimes things did get out of hand.

"Come on dad, it's nothing, just leave it yeah." He knew it was a mistake as soon as he said it, but he couldn't take it back he could merely accept the consequences of going against his father.

"I knew you were a fag." His father stated, before punching him, hard, in the stomach. Callum curled in, in response. It wasn't much of a surprise to him, although this was the first time anything like this had happened. Callum froze out of shock. Merely accepting anything else that had to happen between himself and his father.

Having said what he needed to say, Callum's father left, walking away as if nothing had ever happened.

Callum couldn't lie, that punch hurt him more than he cared to admit, but it wasn't the galaxy of bruising that was slowly starting to develop that hurt the most. He was left feeling as if his father would never see him the way he did before... not like he was ever a good father but the chance of ever having a relationship with him had gone forever.

* * *

Following the conversation he had with his father, Callum decided to go into the Vic for a drink. He couldn't say that his experience with his father hadn't shaken him. He decided he was well deserving of a whiskey, and finished it quickly, before asking for a second.

From the other side of the bar, Ben was apparently watching him vigilantly, he knew something was up from his face. After all, Ben sees Callum, in a way that nobody else ever has. He had also heard some of the conversation between him and his dad earlier but was too far away to intervene. He knew that Callum would be struggling, but that was obvious from the way he had been acting since walking into the pub. He needed to talk to him, he knew he wasn't okay and was convinced he could use a friend by his side. Someone that had been through all this before. He pulled out his phone and sent Callum a text, hoping he wasn't drunk enough to ignore it.

_Meet me outside. Ben x._

Ben did his best to make sure there meet was discreet as possible. After the afternoon's events, Ben predicted Callum wouldn't want any more hassle. 

* * *

"What happened Callum?" Ben asked, trying to sound as caring and protective as possible. 

"He knew, he always knew. He hates me." Callum spoke, clearly exhausted and thrown by what had happened.

"Look, when i first came out, my dad acted like he couldn't see me as ever being part of the family again, he left for days when he caught me and Paul together, but you know what? He came back. And now... well you've seen us. Either he'll be cool with it, or he won't, and if he isn't, that's one less person you have to worry about.

"I tried so hard. I spent so long looking for the right girl and I found the perfect one, someone my dad would be proud of. But she just wasn't enough."

"You shouldn't have to try Callum. It should just feel natural. Look dad's like ours, they are never going to be proud of us, we just have to learn to accept that".

"It's that easy?" Callum questioned.

"I never said it was. But you can't keep trying to reach something that's impossible to gain. It doesn't work Callum."

Callum didn't know how to react to that, but couldn't help the tears that had started falling down his cheeks. He was an army bloke, but he still couldn't help the odd tear

With that, Ben pulled him in for a gentle kiss on the cheek, before bringing him closer and into a hug, holding him tight enough to allow him to take a moment to recollect himself, and Callum couldn't lie, he was holding on to Ben like the world depended on it. Maybe it did.

Obviously that couldn't be the end of the day's drama, this was the square, drama seems to find you, even when you're not looking for it.

As soon as Callum pulled away, he saw Stuart standing across the street. He had clearly seen everything, and Callum only had a few seconds to prepare himself for a repeat of earlier. At least Stuart wouldn't hit him though.

"I thought I told you to stay away", Stuart began. "People like _him,_ they are always trying things with people like us." 

Ben nearly decided to jump in accusatory and aggressive but before he had a chance to say anything Callum spoke up.

"Look, bruv, he didn't do anything. I was the one who started all of this, properly I mean. I cheated on Whit, not him." This surprised Ben, he wasn't expecting Callum to come out at all but to openly say to his brother that it wasn't his fault

"You did What?... With him are you crazy?... Okay is this what you want?"

"Yeah, it is. I mean I love Whitney but. It not who I am, not really"

"You've changed your tune" Ben interrupted with a smirk.

"Okay, if that's true then I guess I'm okay with it."

"Please don't tell anyone. I need to get my head around it, and work out how to tell Whitney." Stuart agreed he wouldn't, and Callum was left with some relief that his brother reacted differently t what was expected

And then, with that, their secret was out to one more person.

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, if you have any prompts for the next fic or comments about this one please let me know in the comments


End file.
